Sourdough Blueberry Coffee Cake
This sourdough blueberry coffee cake has soft vanilla cake swirled with cinnamon sugar and sweet blueberries. Rich and buttery with just the right amount of sourdough tang, this same day sourdough recipe is perfect for a crowd. No long fermentation time required!
We enjoy an overflow of blueberries in the summertime from bushes near our house. It’s common to pick a half gallon of blueberries at a time. So I’m always looking for new and creative ways to use blueberries in my baking. That’s how this sourdough blueberry coffee cake was born. My original sourdough discard coffee cake recipe but with fresh blueberries? Yes, please!
If you like this recipe, try my sourdough blueberry coffee cake muffins version. It makes large bakery-style sourdough muffins of this delicious recipe. The classic version of sourdough coffee cake muffins are popular for a reason! Sourdough discard coffee cake is a great option if you want a classic sourdough coffee cake recipe for a special occasion.
Scroll down for the recipe card, followed by detailed step-by-step instructions (with photos).
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Sourdough Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe
Sourdough Blueberry Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Sourdough Blueberry Cake
- ½ cup salted butter 1 stick, softened
- 1½ cups white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 cups all purpose flour + 1 Tablespoon for blueberries
- 1½ cups fresh blueberries
Cinnamon Sugar Filling + Topping
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 5 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 6 Tablespoons butter melted
Instructions
Cinnamon Sugar Filling + Topping
- Stir the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Add the melted butter and mix to combine. Set aside.
Sourdough Blueberry Cake
- Preheat your oven to 375℉ (190℃). In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla extract, eggs, milk, and sourdough discard (or active starter). Mix to combine.
- Add the baking powder and flour and mix until combined.
- Set aside a handful of blueberries for the topping. Toss remaining blueberries in 1 Tablespoon of all purpose flour. Drop flour-coated blueberries into cake batter and gently fold in with a spatula.
- Generously grease a 9×13 pan and pour half of the coffee cake batter into the bottom. Layer half of the cinnamon sugar all over the pan and pour the remaining batter on top. Crumble the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture on top and dot with blueberries.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes at 375℉ (190℃) until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan before slicing. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Generously grease your baking pan to avoid sticking.
- This recipe is best with fresh blueberries, but you can also use frozen if needed. Toss frozen blueberries in flour before adding to batter. You may need to increase baking time by 5-10 minutes if using frozen blueberries.
- You can use active sourdough starter for this recipe instead of discard. Sourdough discard will provide a stronger sourdough flavor but active starter will also work.
Many coffee cake recipes only make 8×8″ pans. But not this recipe! It makes a large 9×13″ pan that feeds a crowd. It’s perfect for a party like a baby shower or bridal shower brunch. It also makes a great sourdough holiday breakfast.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s a quick and simple version of sourdough blueberry coffee cake. There’s no need to ferment or chill the batter. It can go from bowl to table in a hour!
- It makes a large batch of sourdough coffee cake. It’s perfect to feed a crowd and there’s plenty to go around.
- It’s a great way to use up a lot of sourdough discard. This recipe calls for 1 cup of discard (or you can use active sourdough starter). It’s an easy way to use up your sourdough discard in one easy recipe.
Important Ingredients
This sourdough blueberry coffee cake uses many pantry staples but take note for:
- Milk – Whole milk has more cream and will make the vanilla cake fluffy and tender.
- Vanilla extract – Maybe I’m biased, but there is nothing like the flavor of homemade vanilla extract. I think it levels up any sweet treat recipe. Any kind of vanilla extract will do, but if you want to kick it up a notch, use homemade. I like this recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen.
- Sourdough discard or active sourdough starter – Yes, you can use either one! Since you’re using sourdough discard or starter to enhance the flavor, you can use either one you have on hand. Using sourdough discard will provide a more tangy sourdough flavor.
- Butter – I use salted butter in this recipe, but you can use unsalted butter if that’s what you have on hand. Just add an extra pinch of salt if using unsalted butter.
- Blueberries – Fresh blueberries are best for this recipe, but you can also use frozen blueberries if needed. Toss the blueberries in 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour before adding to batter. This will keep them from sinking to the bottom.
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card above.
Top Tips for Sourdough Blueberry Coffee Cake
To make a fluffy, well-balanced sourdough coffee cake, here are my best tips:
- Mix up the cinnamon sugar filling/topping first and let it sit while making the cake batter. The butter will cool and the mixture will be easier to crumble to distribute evenly.
- Toss blueberries in flour before adding to the batter. This is important to keep the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the batter while the cake bakes.
- Bake the coffee cake long enough. If you’re not quite sure if the coffee cake is cooked through, keep baking it for a few minutes at a time. This cake will be soft and tender with the butter and blueberries, and we don’t want a soggy or underbaked coffee cake. Check the center for doneness by inserting a toothpick. When the toothpick comes out clean, the coffee cake is cooked through.
How to Make Sourdough Blueberry Coffee Cake
Set your oven to 375℉ (190℃) to preheat while you make the coffee cake batter and topping.
Step 1: Stir the cinnamon, brown sugar, and flour together in a bowl. Add the melted butter and mix to combine. Set aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add vanilla extract, eggs, milk, and sourdough discard (or active starter). Mix to combine.
Step 3: Add flour and baking soda and mix to combine. Set aside a handful of blueberries for the topping. Toss the remaining blueberries in a bowl with 1 Tablespoon of flour. Drop flour-coated blueberries into batter and fold in gently with a spatula.
Step 4: Grease a 9×13″ glass baking dish and pour half of the blueberry sourdough coffee cake batter into the pan. Crumble half of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the batter.
Step 5: Pour the rest of the batter on top and spread out with a spatula. Crumble the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture over the top and dot with blueberries. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 375℉ (190℃) until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow the sourdough blueberry coffee cake to cool in the pan before slicing. Serve and enjoy!
How to Serve
Sourdough blueberry coffee cake is best served with a steaming cup of your favorite warm drink– coffee, a latte, or tea. It pairs well with a glass of milk for an afternoon snack or dessert.
How to Store
Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
This same day sourdough blueberry coffee cake is perfect for a sweet sourdough breakfast, holiday brunch, or after-school snack. It can be a delicious sourdough dessert, snack, or a sweet breakfast side. We especially love it in the summer months as a way to enjoy the in-season blueberries. But this recipe can be enjoyed any time of year! I hope you love it as much as we do.
Remember to leave a rating and comment how you enjoyed this recipe. Pin to save for later!
This is one of our favorite versions of sourdough coffee cake. You can’t beat sourdough blueberry coffee cake!
Leave me a comment with any questions you have and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
I can see why this is a Bender Family favorite! The sourdough texture was moist, hardy and flavorful. I myself am not a true blueberry fan however they are delicious in this coffee cake. The streusel topping and drizzle of icing takes the cake! Makes be wish I was a coffee drinker. Believe it would be heaven to get comfy in a big chair with Sourdough Blueberry Coffee Cake, a cup of hot chocolate my Kindle with a great read.
Thank you, Mary! So glad you enjoyed. Ah that set up sounds divine, especially in cozy fall weather!
This makes an amazing brunch item! So scrumptious!
Thanks so much, Laura!
This looks AMAZING!!! I love anything blueberry!
Same! Hope you enjoy, Molly!
Wow this looks so amazing! What a great recipe, sourdough coffeecake and blueberries? Yes Please!
Thanks, Heidi! Hope you enjoy it!
I would like a slice of this with tomorrow’s morning coffee, please! Blueberry coffee cake sounds simply divine!
Oh yes, the perfect morning treat! Enjoy, Jenni!
This looks absolutely delicious!! Ill be making this for my husband for sure!
Thank you, Mindy! Enjoy!
Absolutely perfect! We love coffee cake and blueberries, but had not considered putting the two together. Genius! So excited to try this!
Thanks, Kirsten! Hope you enjoy!
Simple ingredients, feeds a crowd, and it’s beautiful! I think this will make the perfect dish to pass for my next family dinner! 🙂
Thanks so much, Alisha! Enjoy!
This recipe will be on my to do list this weekend. It looks so good and I’m sure it’ll be enjoyable for my guests with a cup of tea.
It’s in the oven now and smells amazing! This is my second time making this recipe and everyone loves it. Thank you
Hi! Your pictures show icing on the cake but no no mention of icing in the recipe. Could you add that? Thanks! Excited to try!
Hi, Kate! You can find the recipe for my glaze icing here: https://hellohoneycomb.blog/sourdough-blueberry-coffee-cake-muffins/. It’s powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and whole milk.